Militants losing ground in sirte

Libyan forces have retaken parts of Sirte from IS militants, gaining ground in the extremist group's most significant stronghold outside Syria and Iraq, a monitor said yesterday.

In the ongoing offensive, forces supporting the UN-brokered government gained control of a port late Friday after fierce clashes with IS militants and are in complete control of the al-Sarawa area east of Sirte, according to Al-Bunyan al-Marsous, a Libya monitor.

Sirte has been the main IS base in the North African country.

The jihadists are now surrounded in a densely populated area of around five square kilometres inside the city where they are laying booby traps, officials said. Most of the city's residents have fled but about 30,000 remain, they added.

The offensive that has lasted almost two weeks has left dozens of fighters dead and around 400 others wounded, the Government of National Accord said.

The fall of Sirte, the hometown of ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi, would be a major setback for the extremists who have also lost territory in Syria and Iraq where they have declared an Islamic "caliphate".

The forces reopened a road between Sirte and a village around 70 kilometers east after sweeping for and removing improvised explosive devices, while the country's airforce carried out six air raids against the militants and their weaponry in Buhari, 3 kilometers to Sirte's south, according to Al-Bunyan al-Marsous.

US officials estimate there are 4,000 to 6,000 ISIS militants in the country.

The forces allied with the GNA said on Thursday they expected to announce the liberation of Sirte in "two or three days," after thrusting into the city centre.